he United Arab Emirates has described the alleged attack by a FlyDubai co-pilot on the captain of an Israel-bound flight as an attempted “terrorist attack.”

The co-pilot allegedly used a cockpit crash axe to attack the captain during FlyDubai Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. The aircraft, carrying 182 people, including four pilots, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after two other pilots took control.

The suspect is an Omani national who was reportedly barred from flying in Oman over security concerns. The Wall Street Journal reported that authorities had concerns about his alleged adoption of radical ideological views, while other media reports said he had been removed from employment with Oman’s national airline over concerns about extremist views.

It remains unclear whether Oman shared its concerns with other airlines or authorities before the suspect was employed by FlyDubai.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone what he described as Islamist radical indoctrination and intended to crash the aircraft. UAE and other investigators are examining whether he acted alone or had links to an extremist organisation.

The investigation is ongoing.